A dove story

In May my family will have lived in the same house for 10 years. We have already lived here longer than we have in any other house. But 10 years is like a mile-stone for my parents, who succeed in decorating the same rooms a couple of times, get bored, and move on for new rooms to decorate.

Ever since I can remember our everyday lives have been watched. The family have been watched by a pair of doves. Doves that seem to like us and our fence. They are collared doves, and a very nice couple if you ask me. They seem to be very loving, and always very close together, sort of cuddling on the fence, as if watching my family were like watching a romance film at the cinema.

If they are not on the fence, they can be heard cooing in the front room as often they'll sit on top of the chimney in cold weather and get the heat from the house. Either that, or, as is customary to do during the summer months, sitting on my window in the very early hours of the morning cooing at me, like an alarm clock.

While I don't enjoy the company of the doves at early o'clock, at other times of the day I'll happily watch back. There is something somewhat peaceful about them. It's no wonder that white ones, presumably because white and pure go together, have become a symbolic representation of peace. Doves are also a symbol of the holy spirit in the New Testament.

I am no bird expert, but it appears that doves meet each other, mate, and stay together forever. Both the male and females incubate the eggs. They share baby raising duties, and when the babies leave the nest, the male and female stick together.

When you look at them leading their peaceful lives, sitting on the fence, observing the world around them, wrapped up in love of a sort, why people can't be more like that. Why people spend so much time watching others to judge. Hurt others......

We can learn a lot by watching doves. A glorious bird of nature.